US to Photograph all Foreign Visitors Entering and Leaving the Country

The United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has proposed a new rule that would require all non-US citizens to have their faces photographed when entering and leaving the country. 

The proposal, published in the Federal Register on 27 October, opens a 30-day public comment period and is expected to take effect 60 days after that period ends. The regulation would expand the government’s biometric entry-exit system by making facial comparison technology mandatory for all foreign nationals, including international students, temporary workers, and tourists. 

Although the DHS already has authority under the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952 to collect biometric data, current systems do not consistently capture such data when travellers depart the United States. The new rule is intended to close this gap, requiring facial images for every non-citizen regardless of age or visa type. 

Exemptions based on age would still apply to other forms of biometric collection, such as fingerprints. According to DHS officials, the measure aims to strengthen border security and prevent identity fraud. 

Customs and Border Protection (CBP) currently verifies traveller identities using automated biographic checks supported by facial recognition tools. While e-passports help protect against document forgery, officials say they cannot confirm a traveller’s identity without biometric verification. 

The DHS considers facial images stored in travel documents to be the most reliable method of confirming identity. Travellers who fail to comply with the new biometric requirements could face immigration consequences, including being deemed inadmissible or in violation of visa conditions. 

The DHS maintains that mandatory facial imaging will help deter the use of fraudulent travel documents and improve the accuracy of immigration records. This proposal forms part of a broader effort to modernise the United States’ border management systems.